Support Employee of the Year, Carmen Blake

For the past 20 years, Carmen has served as a media paraprofessional, developing relationships with staff and students while supporting literacy and technology needs in the library and media center. In that space, she is able to provide a safe place and help direct students to the resources they need. Those interactions led her to become a Check and Connect mentor, spending more than three years mentoring students by reviewing school performance and attendance, and encouraging students to stay in school. Helping others is the passion of her life. She also volunteers in her church, with hurricane recovery efforts, coached softball for eight years, and supports those diagnosed with breast cancer (a survivor herself). Carmen finds joy in making a difference in people’s lives and works hard to do so in every aspect of her life, and is honored to be part of making a difference to the students they serve.